Ute Lake State Park

Ute Lake State Park is broken into several parcels of land around Ute Lake in eastern New Mexico. Ute Lake is about 13 miles long but never more than one mile wide, the result of a dam built on the Canadian River. The state park contains about 1,500 acres while the lake surface covers some 8,200 acres. Ute Lake State Park offers a full marina and many water-oriented activities, but a lot of folks just come to sit back and angle for the trophy fish: fish caught here hold several New Mexico state records.

Ute Lake State Park offers a visitor center, group picnic shelter and 142 developed campsites, 77 of which offer electric hookups. The camping areas also have restrooms and showers plus a centrally located RV dump station. There are several picnicking sites and hiking trails scattered around but most visitors come to fish, boat, sail, water ski and watch the wildlife.

Ute Lake is located on a siltstone and sandstone surface geology estimated to be about 220 million years old. That means you might find fossils and dinosaur footprints embedded in the rock in the area.

Ute Lake State Park is 3 miles west of Logan on New Mexico Highway 540. The entry gate is open 24 hours a day, every day. Of all of New Mexico's beautiful state parks, Ute Lake State Park is the third most visited.

Fees: Day-use: $5 per vehicle; Pedestrians and bicyclists get in free. Camping: Primitive sites: $8 per site per night. Developed sites: $10 per site per night. Developed site with either electric or sewer: $14 per site per night. Developed site with both electric and sewer: $18 per site per night. Water hookups aren't always available but when they are, they're free.